Planes, trains, automobiles and energy

Blog post

Can cross-sector collaboration drive sustainable development?

There have been many instances of successful cross-sector collaboration over the years. For example, Teflon, most commonly used for coating frying pans, is also used by NASA in their heat shields. NASA themselves invented memory foam, initially developed for space flight, now used commercially for mattresses and pillows.

There are examples of cross-sector collaboration across the board. In 2015, the NHS worked with McLaren Forumla One to adapt wireless sensor technology to successfully improve patient monitoring techniques.

Is a problem shared is a problem halved?

There is certainly a ring of truth to this well-known idiom. Genrich Altshuller invented the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving in 1946. He proposed that only 1% of new innovations are based on major discoveries. This suggests there is a 99% chance that there is already someone working towards, or already has, a solution to your problem!

But achieving successful crossovers to enable sustainable development is complex with no one size fits all solution.

Join us and Innovate UK as we debate the complex and interconnected landscape of zero emission mobility at the fourth event in the 2018 Future of Technology Series. Hear from experts in the aerospace, rail, automotive and energy sectors about the challenges they face and how they are working cross collaboratively with other industries to find the solution.

This event will feature leading academics and industry experts on the following topics:

  • What does the transport network of the future look like?
  • Common challenges for every sector
  • What impact will intelligent mobility and connected vehicles have on the network?
  • Social change and future trends
  • Sustainable Energy demand and supply
  • Skills: the industry’s biggest challenge